‘TB42’ makes Steelers look old again

FOXBOROUGH -- The old man still hoists a hose.

As good as the New England Patriots' defense is and was on Sunday night, holding the Pittsburgh Steelers to just three points and 308 yards on 61 plays (a paltry 5.0 per-snap average), Tom Brady’s on-field statement to the National Football League resonated most.

As he typically does with Mike Tomlin-led defenses, Brady feasted, like the Brady of, yes, 2007.

It’s cliche, trite and way too early. But if you follow the National Football League, even just casually, you drive to work on Monday morning with perfection running through your mind.

You know it, I know it, the American people know it.

“He’s the best in the world,” said Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger of his nemesis. “There’s a reason he’s the best when he’s out their doing his thing.”

Brady’s night may not have featured the flash of Pat Mahomes or the physicality of a Lamar Jackson, TB42 made Roethlisberger look like he was ready for “Green Grove” and assisted living.

Now look, when Bill Belichick tosses him a game ball at Monday’s film session, TB42 should ask for two … one for Josh McDaniels and the other to Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler.

The Patriots opened the night with five straight runs. It took those five runs and an incompletion on third down for McDaniels to realize that Butler’s plan had two safeties unavailable for action, 15-20 yards off the ball, leaving the middle of the field available for feasting.

“We’ve had a great relationship for a long time,” said Brady of his offensive coordinator. I have so much trust in him. He puts a lot of pressure on the defense.

Turned loose by his boss, Brady simply strapped on the football feed bag and started firing. His 16 for 25, 194-yard, two-TD half had grills firing up in the Gillette Stadium parking lot early with the Pats in complete control, 20-0.

McDaniels performance was epic. All that talk of balance? Forget it. There were big chunks to be gobbled up by Brady. The Patriots claimed this one with nine runs and 25 passes in the remaining 34 plays in the half.

Six different Pats had catches, all in the 8-to-12-yard range, with inept safeties Terrell Edmunds and Kam Kelly a step behind over and over and over again.

Honestly, Brady teased the poor Steeler pair, like a big brother holding a bag of Peanut M&Ms in one hand while holding the kid brother off with the other.

“We dig the long ball, too,” said Brady. “Those big plays really helped us tonight.”

What must the rest of the NFL be thinking right now? Yes, it’s early, way, way too early.

But this is an offense that through three quarters (pre-mop-up time), the Pats had 275 yards of offense on 40 snaps (6.9 yards per play), and at the time 2018 playoff hero Sony Michel had run eight times for 11 yards.

Oh yeah, and if the news couldn’t get any worse for the other 31, the ink hasn’t even begun to dry on seven-time Pro Bowler Antonio Brown’s cushy one-year lease at Patriot Place.

“I certainly can do a lot better in different areas,” Brady said, again almost in full taunting.

His three-TD performance at age 42 years and thirty-seven days?

Absolutely frightening.